Friday, August 11, 2017

Utusan can ask again, ‘Apa lagi Cina mahu?’

Clever Voter: As they say, you cannot have the cake and eat it. China funds almost 90% of the East Coast Railway Line (ECRL).

They have the say on everything from food to procurement of materials, labour and suppliers. Almost all except one or two screwdrivers will be imported from China. Perkasa should know this. That has been the way things are done.

What's interesting here is the lack of attention to the financial arrangement. It is expensive and opportunity costs are high. What's the point of complaining about signposts in Chinese language when someone is benefitting financially from once again a so-called national project?

Grey Matter: This was exactly what happened in Sri Lanka. The leaders were too busy allegedly enjoying their kickbacks that they forgot one day 95% of the country’s revenue ends up being used to repay the country’s debts.

Then the Chinese could dictate terms to us and we would be like Laos and Cambodia, which did not want Asean to use strong words to denounce China's action in claiming territories in South China Sea. Even Malaysia did not protest although we had competing claims.

Eventually, China will claim all the oil and gas reserves that we laid claim to. Sorry to say, Malays have no more 'maruah' (dignity).

Wg321: In the 15th century, the Emperor of China gave protection to the Malacca sultanate. Otherwise, Malacca would have been conquered by the powerful King of Siam and today Tanah Melayu will be just a province of Thailand like Yala, Narathiwat or Pattani.

Today the new "Emperor of China" – that is, the Communist Party of China – saved Malaysia under PM Najib Razak from bankruptcy as a result of 1MDB scandal and the government’s acute financial mismanagement of the country's resources.

Iiiizzzziiii: Perhaps it is time for all Malaysians to wake up. We are where we are today because we have done this to ourselves.

Our so-called leaders have failed us miserably. Our national resources and wealth have been badly mismanaged due to corruption, cronyism, nepotism, abused of power, etc (too many to mention) after Independence.

Today we are witnessing the effects of those who have destroyed the country. The social re-engineering policy introduced has been a disaster.

The Malay supremacy, or whatever you want to call it, is just a nice slogan because this ethnic group lack the required discipline to build a prosperous future for all, safe themselves. So what is Perkasa barking about?

They should take a deep look at themselves and their 'ketuanan Melayu' attitude. You had your chances, and you deserve what you get - scraps and handouts from China.

Odin Tajué: Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali, it is plainer than daylight that you all at Perkasa are just a bunch of cowards.

When it came to the minority groups in Malaysia, you were braver than the lion and stronger than iron. You threatened and demonstrated and lashed out.

Now that you are facing China, you only have the guts to squeal behind your wives’ sarongs. You didn’t march to the construction site and flex your flaccid muscles and exercise your mealy mouths to frighten the Chinese.

Pawning the country’s dignity, you say? What dignity? Clearly, you all are delusional as well. Get used to it, busters. China is now your lord and master. Know your place and be subservient.

Mahsuri: I would laugh but I realise that it will be our children and grandchildren that will bear the cost of repaying China for the building of this costly railway line. We should all be crying.

David Dass: Each nation sets its own priorities. We must set our own. The ECRL project is part of China's One Belt One Road initiative. It may serve China's purpose.

Does it serve our purpose? Did we conduct a viability study for it? Are there other projects that are more important to us at this point in time? Can we afford this project? What kind of debt burden do we incur?

There are problems with Kenya, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Russia over such China projects. We should be careful. Every major infrastructure project not only involves massive capital expenditure but also requires money for operations and maintenance.

If there is insufficient revenue to service loans and meet operational expenses including maintenance expenditure, the government would have to find money elsewhere to help the railway.

Blurblur: When the double-track line from Padang Besar was at the planning stage, those who were in the logistic industry expressed concern as the volume of traffic from southern Thailand and the northern parts of Malaysia will not be sufficient to generate the freight revenue to pay for its operation.

The nearest port by truck is less than four hours, in this case, Penang Port. Ipoh’s industrial areas are also less than four hours by road to Port Klang. Time and cost-wise, there is not much difference between road and rail.

Can ECRL have enough volume/freight viable to pay the monthly interest on the massive loan, let alone pay the principal loan?

Wira: Indeed, we do not have the economic activities nor the ridership from those three east-coast states to justify such a project.

The magnificent east coast highway is already a sufficient transport link for the movement of goods and people from those states to Kuala Lumpur and the west.

RM2.6 Billion Turkey Haram: Yes, any one with some economic senses, would know that railway business is not profitable. And with such huge financial cost of RM55 billion, one need not be a world-class economist to tell that it won't be profitable.

But who cares? As long as the leaders can extract some cash out of the venture, what comes later is inconsequential to them.

Anonymous 2475871497500343:Who builds the rail is not an issue. I just don't trust the way government awarded the contract without an open-tender process.

Who knows there was no any hidden cost added to the project, especially when there is a trust deficit for MO1 (Malaysian Official 1)? - Mkini